Rudd admits to making mistakes

Kevin Rudd insists that he will not stand for Labor leader unless he has an overwhelming mandate.
Photo: Ben Rushton

by
Phillip Coorey | James Massola

Kevin Rudd
admitted he made mistakes as prime minister as two of his long-term supporters publicly called for the party’s leadership to be revisited.

At the same time, hardline sup­porters of Prime Minister
Julia Gillard
took to the phones to warn she has no intention of stepping down even if tapped by a delegation, meaning if Mr Rudd wants the leadership back he will have to fight for it.

This sets the scene for the stand-off to continue throughout the Parlia­mentary sitting fortnight starting on Monday. Mr Rudd has reaffirmed he has no intention of challenging and leading a divided party, and will only accept the job if drafted with overwhelming support.

Two Victorian MPs and long-time Rudd supporters,
Maria Vamvakinou
and
Darren Cheeseman
, called for the issue to be brought to a head.

“Very clearly, with where polls are at the moment, we are heading for annihilation and that is not acceptable.

“I know that is occupying a lot of the time of caucus members. People are thinking and worrying about it,’’ said Mr Cheeseman, who holds the marginal seat of Corangamite.

A senior government source and ­Gillard backer told the AFR Weekend: “The prime minister is not going anywhere. We’ve had a campaign from Kevin Rudd which is nauseating in its disregard for the Labor Party, the government and the country.

Related Quotes

Company Profile

“No-one with the long-term interests of the Labor Party or the country at heart can tolerate these sorts of tactics."

Listlessness in Gillard camp

Another acknowledged there was “a bit of listlessness" in the Gillard camp but was confident there would be no change.

Campaigning in the western Sydney seat of McMahon, Mr Rudd told school children about the lessons of acknowledging mistakes and recovering from adversity.

“All of us make mistakes and every government has made mistakes, including the one which I led," he said.

Mr Rudd has used such words before on school visits but in the current context they were interpreted by some as further assurance he would not repeat the dictatorial style of leadership which helped precipitate his downfall in 2010.

Ms Vamvakinou, who holds the relatively safe seat of Calwell, said policies were being overshadowed by polls and leadership speculation.

“I’d like to see the leadership issue cleared up for the sake of the party and for the electorate," she said.

The Australian Financial Review reported on Friday that some of Ms ­Gillard’s long-time supporters are growing increasingly worried about Labor’s prospects and opposition to a leadership change is evaporating.

Several are believed to be passive to the concept of change, especially in NSW.

But Ms Gillard still has a significant circle of hard-core supporters, including Treasurer
Wayne Swan
and Senate leader
Stephen Conroy
.

Bill Shorten
, another one-time member of Ms Gillard’s praetorian guard, is under growing pressure, especially from NSW, to shift his support and tap Ms Gillard on the shoulder.

He is believed to be torn.

“Bill is being chased and used by these people," said one Gillard supporter. The supporter said Labor would be better off losing than going back to Mr Rudd.

“It will be a disaster for the Labor Party," he said.

“We actually think he is not one of us. This is about the future of the Labor Party, not the next election."

Those who believe they can effect a leadership change admit the timing of such events cannot be controlled but are focusing more on the end of the week after next.

Replacing leaders just as Parliament rises would stop
Tony Abbott
being able to move a no-confidence motion to test the government’s numbers, especially as
Tony Windsor
said he would pull his support for the minority government should Ms Gillard be replaced.

Also, there is considerable public sympathy for Ms Gillard at the moment due to the obscene questions put to her by now-sacked radio shock jock, Howard Sattler and the denigration of her appearance on a menu associated with a Coalition fund-raiser which was revealed during the week.